California’s Elephant Seals are the Giants of the Golden Coast
Once teetering on the brink of extinction, the California elephant seal has made an astounding recovery thanks to stringent conservation […]
New Research Sheds Light on the Saber-Toothed Cats of California, Fierce Predators of the Pleistocene
Among the region’s Pleistocene Epoch megafauna, the Saber-toothed cats are some of the most iconic prehistoric predators to have roamed California.
Squid Pro Quo: How the California Market Squid Gives Back to Nature and Economy
The California market squid, scientifically known as Doryteuthis opalescens, is an integral component of the marine ecosystem and significantly contributes to California’s economy.
The Desert Garden at The Huntington is a Sanctuary for Succulents and a Battleground Against Poaching
The Huntington Library, Art Museum and Botanical Gardens in San Marino, California, is one of the institutions on the front lines of this battle against plant theft.
Cities, Climate Change, Geology and Earthquakese, Places
Unraveling the Geology Behind Palos Verdes’ Ongoing Landslide Crisis
For decades, geologists and engineers have been aware that the Portuguese Bend region of Palos Verdes is prone to landslides.
Looking back at John McPhee’s Assembling California: A Journey through Geology and Time
when it comes to exploring the state’s geology – its mountains, coastlines, and, most notably, its fault lines – few books can match the prowess and eloquence of John McPhee’s “Assembling California”. Part of his Pulitzer-winning series, “Annals of the Former World,” the book offers a comprehensive and accessible tour through the geological history of California, crafting a narrative that is as engaging as it is informative.
California’s Monterey Formation: Unraveling the Secrets of a Fossil-Rich, Oil-Bearing Geological Wonder
California’s Monterey Formation is one of the most fascinating geological formations in the United States. Stretching along the California coast from San Francisco to Los Angeles, this formation is notable for its incredible diversity of siliceous rocks—rocks rich in silica, such as shale, chert, diatomite, and porcelanite.
Why bringing back California’s kelp is so important
Two centuries ago, the waters off the California coast were home to a vibrant ecosystem of plants and animals. Vast
The California Sea Lion’s Story of Survival and Conservation
California sea lions are part of the family Otariidae, which includes all eared seals. These agile marine mammals are well adapted for life in the ocean, with streamlined bodies, strong flippers, and a layer of blubber to help regulate body temperature.
Why Parkfield, California is the Nation’s Earthquake Capital
In Parkfield, every hillside and valley, grassy nook and riverbed is home to some kind of instrument that measures earthquakes. Over the years, these instruments have become more sophisticated and expensive, making it necessary in many cases to fence them off with the threat of arrest. These instruments monitor, hour by hour, or better, millisecond by millisecond, the stirrings of the earth. To geologists, it is ground zero for seismic measurement.
